1. Technical Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an electrophoretic display, a method and apparatus for driving it, and an electronic device using it.
2. Description of Related Art
In the conventional art, electrophoretic displays are known which consist of a pair of panels or substrates spaced apart in opposing relation, each of which is provided with an electrode. Between these electrodes a dyed dielectric fluid is provided. Suspended in the fluid are electrically charged particles having a pigment color different to the fluid in which they are suspended (hereinafter referred to simply as pigment particles). In a display update operation, differing voltages are applied via a switching element to the electrodes to generate an electrostatic field in the dielectric fluid, causing the pigment particles to migrate in the direction of the applied field.
Electrophoretic displays utilizing an electrophoresis phenomenon are classed as non-luminous devices. In electrophoresis, pigment particles migrate under the action of Coulomb force which is generated when an electrostatic field is applied to a dielectric fluid in which the particles are dispersed.
However, prior art electrophoretic displays suffer from a problem in that they afford poor viewing characteristics. The present invention has been made to overcome this problem, and provides for the first time an active matrix electrophoretic display, which display has superior viewing characteristics.